To keep your implants lasting as long as possible, make sure you practice good oral hygiene. Brush your teeth twice a day with a soft-bristled toothbrush and floss regularly.
A dental implant offers a permanent and secure solution for replacing one or more teeth. Implants can be used to support a number of dental prostheses including crowns, implant-supported bridges and dentures. Typical implants consist of a titanium screw with a roughened or smooth surface.
Implants have been in use since the 1990s. Due to improved personal and professional care in the past decade, success rates have risen above 95 per cent. Few forms of medical, orthopaedic, or dental treatment achieve such success.
An implant allows people to fill the gap where a tooth is missing or discard a partial denture. It also improves their ability to chew, enhances their appearance and prevents potential wear and tear to the other teeth.
Dr Andrew Withers will tailor a dental implant treatment plan to your situation and jawbone condition. The total treatment time takes between six and 12 months depending on the complexity. The entire procedure can be completed at the Withers Dental Toowoomba clinic.
Diagnostic x-rays and a 3D CBVT (Cone Beam Volumetric Tomography) scan will be taken both prior to surgery and throughout the procedure to establish the condition of the underlying structures. Withers Dental uses the latest technology needed for this treatment. Careful and detailed planning is required to identify vital structures such as bone density that may affect the duration and cost of the dental implant treatment. Once the scan is completed, a second appointment will be made to outline costs and a treatment plan.
A surgical guide is used to enable the most precise angulation of the drill during the preparation and placement of the implant. It is achieved using the 3D CBVT together with a 3D intra-oral camera system. These programs give Dr Withers a unique detailed image to work with. He can virtually place the implant with great precision. A personalised surgical guide can then be designed and milled from a Cerec® block. It is then polished and sterilised, ready to be used for implant placement.
For a dental implant procedure to be successful, the jawbone must be strong enough to support the implant. If there is not enough bone, more may need to be added with bone grafting techniques. All bone graft materials used are TGA-approved. Dr Withers will assess your situation and select the most suitable product for you.
The procedure to place the dental implant does require minor surgery; this can be performed by certified clinicians as an outpatient under general anaesthetic, oral conscious sedation or with a local anaesthetic. We will be guided by your decision on whether you would prefer your dental implant to be placed here in practice under local anaesthetic or at the hospital under general anaesthetic.
If you need a dental implant, speak with one of our friendly reception team members who will be happy to help with your inquiry. You can call our Toowoomba dental clinic on 07 4659 9477.
Please note: All invasive or surgical procedures carry risks. Some people may not be suitable candidates for this procedure. Your dentist will discuss all risks prior to commencing any treatment.
Dental implants will typically be made of titanium. This metal is chosen because of its durability and resistance to corrosion – once an implant is fitted, in many cases it will last as long (if not longer) than a natural tooth. In addition, platinum titanium has the ability to bond effectively with the jaw bone, creating a stable surface on which a crown can sit.
Occasionally, a dentist may use zirconia instead of platinum. This metal is used because it has similar properties to titanium in terms of its durability and ability to bond with the bone.
An implant consists of three parts – the abutment, which is the screw that’s sunk into the jaw bone, the post (the screw which connects the abutment to the crown), and a crown. Crowns that sit on the top of abutments are made in a similar way to those made to fit over an existing natural tooth.
In the first instance, digital scans or impressions are taken so that the crown can be customised to the patient’s unique dental contours. The scans/impressions are then sent away to a laboratory, where expert technicians make the crown, based on your records. Each crown made by the dental lab is unique and created to fit the mouth of the patient perfectly. Patients will wear a temporary crown whilst the permanent crown is being prepared.
When the permanent crown is ready, the dentist will remove the temporary crown and fit the permanent one in place.
Resin, ceramic, porcelain or metal (frequently gold) are all traditional materials that can be used for the crown. For some patients, zirconium (a mixture of materials that includes zirconia) may be the best option. The final choice of crown material frequently depends on cost. For example, gold crowns are often cheaper, but some people don’t like the unnatural look of gold. Porcelain crowns look fantastic but are more prone to staining than ceramic or metal crowns. Resin crowns may not be as durable as metal crowns but are often a cost-effective option.
Your dentist will discuss crown material choices with you as part of the consultation process.
For patients who have several missing teeth, in different parts of the mouth, several single dental implants may work well. If the bone underlying the implants is in good condition, it’s possible to have several implants side by side. In some circumstances, a carefully placed abutment may support two crowns, providing a solution for patients who have two neighbouring teeth missing.
Implant Retained Dentures are also becoming a more popular option for patients who require a full clearance of either upper or lower teeth. Depending on factors such as dental health, budget and the location of the missing teeth, a bridge or partial denture may be a more suitable solution.
Bridges and/or dentures are often cheaper than implants and are also more versatile. A bridge may be used to support two, three, four or, occasionally five or six crowns. Less invasive than an implant, if you have several adjacent teeth missing, a bridge may be worth considering.
A dental implant serves as an artificial replacement for the root of a missing tooth. A titanium alloy post is fused with the jaw bone to act as an anchor for a replacement tooth, crown or denture. Once the post has been fully fused and the permanent replacement tooth attached, the implant appears natural and fully integrated into the mouth. Because dental implants integrate into the structure of your bone, they help to prevent the bone loss and gum recession that often accompanies bridgework and dentures. No one will ever know you have a replacement tooth.
Dental implants are made to last a lifetime. If they’re cared for properly, they can last up to 30 years. To give your dental implants the best chance at a long life, we recommend you clean them as you would your other teeth, maintain good oral health, limit your alcohol intake and smoking, and try to avoid particularly hard foods that could damage your implant.
To keep your implants lasting as long as possible, make sure you practice good oral hygiene. Brush your teeth twice a day with a soft-bristled toothbrush and floss regularly.
If your implant or crown chips, breaks or loosens, make sure you collect all the pieces and contact your implant dentist straight away. Depending on the damage, you might not need any removal of the implant or surgery, but this requires a professional dental assessment. If the abutment – the part of your implant connecting the ceramic crown to the screw implant – becomes loose or breaks, your dentist will examine the abutment and crown without the need to go deeper. In the rare cases in which the implant screw breaks inside your gum, the implant must be extracted and replaced, perhaps with the support of a bone graft to strengthen your jaw and gums.
Yes. Even though your implants are not natural teeth, they still require care. We recommend you visit your dentist every six months for a proper check-up and clean. At this time, mention to your dentist or dental hygienist that you have an implant, so that they can examine and clean it thoroughly.
No. Implants are usually placed under local anaesthesia, so you shouldn’t feel any pain.
As with any other minor surgical procedure on your mouth, there’s a risk of infection, swelling and pain. Our team at Withers Dental will discuss how to manage these side effects should they occur. Additionally, if you don’t have enough bone to secure the dental implant, you may need bone and gum grafting procedures. While these carry a cost, they’re an upfront investment guaranteed to deliver long-term benefits.
No. As dental implants are fixed in your bone, they function similarly to your natural teeth.
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